SOGCast 043: Rick Freeman - Cobras Supporting SOG, to Fighter Jets.

Quick Overview

Aviator Rick Freeman details his transition from flying Cobra gunships supporting SOG teams to flying fighter jets later in his career, emphasizing the critical differences in tactics, operational freedom, and the intense training required for close air support missions in Vietnam.

Key Points: Rick Freeman served with the 101st Airborne later in the Vietnam War and focused on his experience as an aviator flying gunships for SOG protection. Freeman joined the Army in 1967 after a friend was killed, opting for pilot training over the draft, and he already possessed commercial fixed-wing licenses. Initial helicopter training involved ground school and flying half-day sessions at Fort Wolters and Rucker, where Freeman tutored others due to his prior licensing. Freeman volunteered for the two-week gun program, learning systems on AH-1G (B models), but transitioned to AH-1C (Charlie models) which flew differently due to larger blades and more power. When supporting SOG teams, Freeman prioritized using phosphorous flares over smoke for marking positions because smoke drifts, stating, "If I got a phosphorous flare going off, I know exactly where you are." Freeman extended his first tour because he preferred the operational freedom in the SOG area across the 'black line' where he had 'all the ordinance I can shoot, all the gas I can burn, not accountable to anybody.' He recounts a mission where he used flechettes to kill a sniper bothering a 101st company commander and details the danger of rocket ricochet in jungle environments.

Context: This interview, SOGCast number 43 hosted by John Striker Meyer, features aviator Rick Freeman discussing his military service, particularly his time flying helicopters during the Vietnam War, supporting units like the 101st Airborne and SOG (Studies and Observations Group). Freeman explains his path into aviation, influenced by his father's Air Force background, and the pivotal decision to join the Army in 1967, leading to his training as a warrant officer helicopter pilot.